GGGI is rolling out an 18-month technical assistance project to the Government of Saint Lucia titled “Mobilizing Climate Finance and Private Investments for Low-Carbon Development in Saint Lucia”. The project aims at building institutional capacity, frameworks, and project pipelines to enable the mobilization of climate finance and private investment for NDC implementation and low-carbon development in Saint Lucia. GGGI is looking to hire a Sustainable Banking Specialist to support the delivery of technical assistance to local financial institutions (LFI) and the Bankers Association of Saint Lucia to mainstream environmental, social and governance standards into LFI's systems and loan disbursement processes. The assignment includes background research on Saint Lucia's sustainable banking landscape, development of a Sustainable Banking Roundtable concept, and development and delivery of awareness building materials on environmental and social management systems for financial institutions.
BACKGROUND
Saint Lucia relies heavily on grant funding and concessionary loans from development partners to finance its development and climate change objectives. The achievement of Saint Lucia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets is conditional on external financing. Although international climate finance and ODA offer some relief to Saint Lucia’s growing debt to GDP ratio, the decreasing level of international aid undermines the long-term sustainability of this approach. Consequently, the GoSL is pursuing efforts to diversify the country donor engagement, access under-utilized climate funds and develop new and innovative finance mechanisms to de-risk mitigation projects to attract private sector investments.
Given the above, the Government of Saint Lucia has developed a Private Sector Engagement Strategy and NDC Financing Strategy to develop an enabling environment for private sector investments, with the goal of having the private sector contribute an estimated US$ 218 million in mitigation investments by 2030 (that is 90% of the total). GGGI technical assistance project supports these efforts by:
Supporting Saint Lucia’s capital market’s readiness assessment for a sovereign green bond issuance and debt for climate swap transaction to raise long-term funds earmarked to climate change adaptation and mitigation projects.
Providing technical assistance to local financial institutions to integrate environmental and social standards into their processes, procedures, and instruments in order to increase the availability of green finance for private-sector led climate change adaptation and mitigation projects.
Increasing the Government of Saint Lucia’s institutional capacity to design and structure Public-Private Partnerships.
Advancing the development of a PPP flagship project: Saint Lucia Green Affordable Housing project.
Local financial institutions (LFIs) are in a unique position to direct finance and investments towards sustainable business models through their financial leverage and capital allocation decisions. In fact, the finance sector presides over a large pool of capital, more of which could be steered towards low carbon, climate resilient activities in order to address the credit crunch hindering private sector investments and participation in climate change adaptation and mitigation activities. Capital flows need to shift from high to low carbon activities. Mainstreaming sustainability into Saint Lucia's finance sector can increase the volume of finance flowing to climate change mitigation projects by endowing LFIs with the capacity and systems to develop green credit instruments.
OBJECTIVES
The Sustainable Banking Specialist will be primarily responsible for the delivery of technical assistance to local financial institutions (LFIs) and the Bankers Association of Saint Lucia to mainstream environmental, social and governance standards into LFIs’ systems and loan disbursement processes. S/he will work closely with the Bankers Association of Saint Lucia to establish and operationalize a Sustainable Banking Roundtable providing awareness raising and capacity building to the country’s 11 LFIs. S/he will work to increase LFIs’ awareness and understanding of the materiality of E&S risks and the benefits deriving from the integration of E&S standards into their processes and procedures. The consultant will develop and deliver capacity building material and provide demand-driven training sessions to interested LFIs on the development and implementation of E&S risk screening and mitigation policies and systems (e.g. Environmental and Social Management Systems) and green credit instruments. S/he will provide direct technical support to interested LFIs to develop their own ESMS policy, procedures, documents, governance structure, roles and responsibilities to screen and categorize transactions for E&S risks, and manage the investee´s non-compliance with E&S standards. The Consultant will work under the supervision of the GGGI Regional Investment Lead and the Caribbean Program Representative
S/he will work to increase LFIs’ awareness and understanding of the materiality of E&S risks and the benefits deriving from the integration of E&S standards into their processes and procedures. The consultant will develop and deliver capacity building material and provide demand-driven training sessions to interested LFIs on the development and implementation of E&S risk screening and mitigation policies and systems (e.g. Environmental and Social Management Systems) and green credit instruments. S/he will provide direct technical support to interested LFIs to develop their own ESMS policy, procedures, documents, governance structure, roles and responsibilities to screen and categorize transactions for E&S risks, and manage the investee's non-compliance with E&S standards.
DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Deliverable 1: Detailed Workplan
Upon taking on the assignment, the consultant is expected to arrange and complete consultations with relevant project stakeholders to develop a detailed workplan outlining the timeline of main activities, methodology, milestones, validation meetings, draft and final deliverables.
The workplan will also outline the Consultant’s travel plan and the periods in which s/he will be working from Saint Lucia. The consultant shall communicate any deviation from the Workplan to the GGGI Project Manager.
The deliverable must be approved by the Project Steering Committee and GGGI Project Manager.
Deliverable 2: Sustainable Banking Baseline Report
The consultant shall produce a diagnostic study of Saint Lucia’s sustainable banking landscape. The baseline report shall include at least:
Name and description of local financial institutions
Main point of contact of each identified local financial institution
Description of each institution’s sustainable banking initiatives, including membership in international sustainable banking standards, E&S policy, ESMS structure, roles and responsibilities
Meeting minutes of bilateral meeting with representative of each of the identified local financial institutions
Mapping, description and contact points of main regulatory bodies
Review of national policies, strategies and targets contributing or promoting sustainable banking in Saint Lucia
Review of sustainable banking initiatives and programs in other Caribbean islands, including target participants, donors, expected results, applicability to Saint Lucia’s context
Report and PowerPoint presentation outlining all of the above studies and activities
The deliverable must be approved by the Project Steering Committee and GGGI Project Manager.
Deliverable 3: Sustainable Banking Roundtable Concept and Regulation of Operations
The Consultant shall work closely with the Bankers Association of Saint Lucia to conceptualize and operationalize a Sustainable Banking Roundtable under the framework of the Bankers Association’s existing platform.
The Consultant will produce the Sustainable Banking Roundtable’s Terms of Reference outlining the Sustainable Banking Roundtable’s strategic goals, membership structure, participation options, record keeping, strategic partners, frequency, communication channels, standing agenda, and service offering to its members.
The Consultant will produce one brief document (2-3 pages) and PowerPoint presentation summarizing the Terms of Reference and deliver this to all local financial institutions identified under Deliverable 1, collect feedback and integrate these into the document.
The deliverable will be considered completed upon the submission of the Terms of Reference approved by the Bankers Association of Saint Lucia and GGGI’s project manager.
Deliverable 4: Environmental and Social Management Systems Awareness Raising Material and Guidelines
The Consultant will develop awareness raising and capacity building material to increase local financial institutions’ awareness on the materiality of E&S risks and enhance their capacity to screen, categorize and mitigate them. The consultant shall deliver the following:
PowerPoint presentation on E&S risks, ESG concepts, trends, practices and case study for the banking sector. The PowerPoint should raise awareness about the materiality of E&S risks for banking operations and the benefits of E&S integration in FI’s processes and procedures. The PowerPoint should be 15-20 slides long, or the equivalent of a 30 minute presentation.
PowerPoint presentation outlining international sustainable banking standards and initiatives, including overall description, requirements and processes. The PowerPoint should contribute to raise awareness of existing sustainable baking practices and ESG disclosure mechanisms, including the Sustainable Banking Principles, TCFD and SABS. The PowerPoint should be 15-20 slides long, or the equivalent of a 30-40 minute presentation.
Guidelines (Word format) for the development and implementation of an Environmental and Social Management System. The Guidelines shall consist of the step-by-step process to develop and implement an ESMS in alignment with IFC’s definition and Performance Standards.
PowerPoint presentation complementing the ESMS Guidelines outlining the structure and processes of an Environmental and Social Management System. The PowerPoint should cover all aspects of the ESMS as defined by the International Finance Corporation. The PowerPoint should be 20-30 slides long, or the equivalent of a 30 minute presentation.
PowerPoint presentation outlining green banking instruments, trends and practices. The PowerPoint should contribute to raise awareness about new and innovative sustainable banking mechanisms and instruments. The PowerPoint shall include an in-depth case study of a sustainable banking instrument from the country or the region. The PowerPoint should be 20-30 slides long, or the equivalent of a 30 minute presentation.
The deliverable must be approved by the Project Steering Committee and GGGI Project Manager. Deliverable 5: Sustainable Banking Roundtable – 1st Session and follow-up meetings
The Consultant will work closely with the Bankers Association of Saint Lucia to organize and deliver the first session of the Sustainable Banking Roundtable. The Roundtable will be delivered according to the Regulation of Operations defined under Deliverable 3.
The Consultant will provide administrative and coordination support to ensure the successful delivery of the Roundtable. The Consultant will be responsible for the in-person in-country delivery of the awareness raising and capacity building material delivered under Deliverables 4a) and 4b). The consultant will deliver a 60-90 minute capacity building presentation followed by 40 minutes of Q&A.
The Consultant shall prepare and administer a “Pre- and post- training evaluation questionnaire” aligned with GGGI’s reporting requirements, collect the results, and share these with GGGI.
During the month following the 1st Session, the Consultant shall remain available to conduct follow-up meetings with interested LFIs seeking additional support and clarifications.
The deliverable will be considered successfully completed upon the submission of the following material:
Workshop report: presentation material, agenda, meeting minutes, participants disaggregated by gender
Pre- and post-training evaluation survey results
Recording of the session
Draft Press Release text
Meeting minutes of follow-up bilateral meetings
The deliverable must be approved by the Project Steering Committee and GGGI Project Manager.
Deliverable 6: Sustainable Banking Roundtable – 2nd Session and follow-up meetings
The Consultant will work closely with the Bankers Association of Saint Lucia to organize and deliver the second session of the Sustainable Banking Roundtable. The Roundtable will be delivered according to the Regulation of Operations defined under Deliverable 3.
The Consultant will provide administrative and coordination support to ensure the successful delivery of the Roundtable. The Consultant will be responsible for the in-person in-country delivery of the awareness raising and capacity building material delivered under Deliverables 4d) and 4e). The consultant will deliver a 60-90 minute capacity building presentation followed by 40 minutes of Q&A.
The Consultant shall prepare and administer a “Pre- and post- training evaluation questionnaire” aligned with GGGI’s reporting requirements, collect the results, and share these with GGGI.
During the month following the 2nd Session, the Consultant shall remain available to conduct follow-up meetings with interested LFIs seeking additional support and clarifications.
The deliverable will be considered successfully completed upon the submission of the following material:
Workshop report: presentation material, agenda, meeting minutes, participants disaggregated by gender
Pre- and post-training evaluation survey results
Recording of the session
Draft Press Release text
Meeting minutes of follow-up bilateral meetings
The deliverable must be approved by the Project Steering Committee and GGGI Project Manager.
Deliverable 7: Final Report
The Consultant will produce one Final Report outlining the activities and results of the assignment. The structure of the Final Report will be agreed with GGGI Project Manager and shall include, at least: a description of all activities, including a description of tasks, primary beneficiaries, stakeholders, results and any deviation from the original workplan.
The Final Report will list and outline lessons learned and best practices emerging from the sustainable banking workstream of the project, and offer recommendations for follow-on actions. The Final Report will be accompanied by a brief presentation (15-20 slides) summarizing the content of the report.
The deliverable must be approved by the Project Steering Committee and GGGI Project Manager.
REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS
The consultant will be based in Castries, Saint Lucia, at least 30% of the time, equivalent to 60 working days. When in Saint Lucia, the Consultant may be required to work from the GGGI office or in the offices of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy.
The consultant is expected to have daily interactions with the GGGI Regional Investment Lead and weekly interactions with GGGI Project Manager. During the meeting the consultant will be asked to report on progress against the contractual objectives, activities, and milestones.
The consultant will participate in weekly meetings of the Project Team, and monthly meetings of the Project Steering Committee.
The consultant should follow the specific methods detailed in the workplan and follow GGGI´s instructions. The consultant will make the best use of both primary and secondary sources of information to develop activities defined under the contract objective.
For each deliverable, the consultant is required to deliver a draft version by a date agreed to with GGGI, solicit and respond to comments, and deliver a final version (tracked and clean versions for MS Word deliverables) by the deadline.
EXPERTISE REQUIRED
Postgraduate degree in finance, banking, law or related areas
General professional experience: A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience in banking, of which at least 4 years in sustainable banking;
Specific professional experience: Well-acquainted with and directly involved in implementing international sustainable banking best practices and standards, including the Principles for Responsible Banking, TCFD and SASB;
Specific professional experience: experience developing and implementing Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS) for first-tier financial institutions;
Prior experience delivering capacity building/training for professional audiences is a plus
Prior work experience working in Saint Lucia and/or other Caribbean countries is a plus;
Skill and knowledge:
- Native English proficiency
- Knowledge of Spanish is a plus
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
The Consultant reports to the GGGI Regional Investment Lead and the Caribbean Program Representative. The consultant will be based in Saint Lucia, at least 30% of the time, equivalent to 54 working days. When in Saint Lucia, the Consultant may be required to work from the GGGI office or in the offices of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy.
Date to close is listed in Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Application, Cover Letter, Writing Sample and CV must be sent in English.
A consortium, or a firm may not be engaged for the individual consultant assignment.
SOCIAL AND SUSTAINABILITY SAFEGUARDS
GGGI as an institution abides by its project-level Sustainability and Safeguards Rules (SSR) for all projects aligned with international standards for Environmental and Social Safeguards. The SSR is aligned with commonly recognized international standards for Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS), i.e. the WB Performance Standard, that ensure project level safeguarding of communities and people impacted by GGGI activities. GGGI has integrated project level Environmental and Social Safeguards into its Project Cycle Management (PCM) with mandatory Preliminary Gender and Social Assessments and ESS Screening of all projects to identify and manage risks.
In addition, GGGI’s Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Strategy 2021-2025 provides a framework toward achieving the principle of “Leaving No One Behind” in the transformation towards green growth, guiding GGGI's approaches to the mainstreaming of gender equality and poverty reduction in GGGI Colombia´s Program. This also includes the implementation of the GGGI Gender Equality and Poverty Reduction Policy Markers on all projects. GGGI’s Corporate Results Framework requires gender disaggregated indicators for participation in GGGI Capacity Building events.
GGGI’s Child Protection Rules and GGGI Rules on Sexual Exploitation ensure safeguarding of children impacted by GGGI activities or in contact with GGGI contracted personnel, with GGGI taking a zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation. GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. All procedures mentioned above are accompanied by guidelines and capacity building efforts. GGGI also provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. GGGI promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.
All GGGI´s policies are available for open consultation under the following link: https://gggi.org/policy-documents/
ANTI FRAUD AND SAFEGUARD
GGGI is committed to apply transparency and accountability in its decisions and actions, and to practice integrity in all aspects of its operations. GGGI's anti-corruption policy establishes zero tolerance for corruption and fraudulent, coercive, and collusive practices in GGGI's operations. The whistleblowing policy is available at the following link https://gggi.org/site/assets/uploads/ 2017/11/Whistleblower-Policy_02072015.pdf
In addition, all GGGI's policies are available for open consultation under the following link: https://gggi.org/policy-documents/
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